


wolffe gives in

by grumblebee_dani



Series: hello there [8]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Developing Relationship, Domestic Fluff, First Meetings, Fluff, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-05
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-12 06:09:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29630262
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grumblebee_dani/pseuds/grumblebee_dani
Summary: Boost and Sinker take to the newest member of the pack right away, but Wolffe needs a little time.
Relationships: Boost & Sinker & CC-3636 | Wolffe, Boost (Star Wars)/Original Female Character(s), CC-3636 | Wolffe/Original Female Character(s), Sinker (Star Wars)/Original Female Character(s)
Series: hello there [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1850140
Kudos: 1





	wolffe gives in

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This one will probably end up being a little longer because it includes the intro, but don't worry, all good boys get their turn.

Plo Koon was not your typical general. If anything, he was more of a father figure to his troops, whose numbers had been drastically reduced by the Separatists. Boost, Sinker, and his faithful Commander Wolffe were all he had left, and the loneliness was even more stifling for them.

"Commander, I have just received a message that would give the four of us an opportunity that would not easily be turned down."

Turning in his chair to face Plo, he raised an eyebrow. "Your vagueness makes me think there's a catch."

The general shrugged and smiled as best as a Kel Dor could. "All I ask is that you and your men listen to what I have to say on the matter and make a decision with reason instead of snap judgements."

"All due respect sir, but that makes me feel even worse."

All he got was another shrug.

"I'll call the others in."

"Hold on, who is bringing who here?" Boost got a smack on the head for speaking up so brazenly, but he didn't regret it.

Plo ignored the smack and reiterated. "A man I once knew has contacted me about a passenger of his who needs a new start. He heard of our loss and thought his passenger could be a good fit for the pack."

"What would they do around here if they're not a soldier?"

"They have agreed to do just about anything that needs doing as long as we provide them food and shelter."

Wolffe had a specific face he made whenever his general referred to him and his men as a pack, and it still showed in the embarrassed tinge of red to his ears. "And you mentioned this man is a bounty hunter? Meaning this passenger is likely someone he captured and...is releasing for some reason?"

"That is correct. Of course, I knew him before this particular career path, but I do trust that he means well."

Wolffe grunted and crossed his arms. He didn't like the sound of a bounty joining their ranks, no matter if there were any extenuating circumstances. 

Boost, however, leaned forward in interest. "Did he tell you what the bounty was for?"

"Theft, but that is all I know of it."

Another scoff from his Commander, but Boost paid it no mind. "Why would he give up the money to send them here?"

Plo folded his hands in his lap, clearly pleased. "An excellent question. My guess is that they had a way to offer even more money in exchange for passage to somewhere safe."

Sinker finally spoke up. "Gotta be pretty bad off if they consider a war zone safe."

"That's exactly what I've been thinking." Wolffe scowled even harder. "We don't even know this person's name, let alone their intentions. If they think rooming with sone clone troopers is better than what they've got, then they haven't got much."

Plo began to protest, but Wolffe waved his hand. "I know, I know. But the majority of people don't see us the way you do."

"I would also like to say that I have spoken with the passenger and believe what they have told me. I thought it best to introduce the topic without personal information so you could have a chance to shut me down before I gave you all the details, and they could remain anonymous to as many people as possible."

The three men took a moment to think in silence, which their general used as an opportunity to stand and turn toward the door. "I will give you some time to consider, but please come to me with any questions or concerns."

The door slid shut with the men in the same thoughtful positions.

More curious than either of his brothers, Boost was the first to come back to the subject with Plo. 

"So are we going to get a chance to meet them before we make a final decision?"

The general met his trooper's eyes from across his desk. "They seemed eager to meet you three, so I assume they would say yes to introducing themself via hologram."

Boost grinned. "I'm feeling pretty eager myself. It would be nice to hear another set of footsteps around here."

"I cannot help but agree."

Sinker agreed as soon as the idea was brought up, but Wolffe was still wary. In the end, majority ruled and Plo set up the meeting.

Crowded around the holoprojector, the men waited for the connection to go through with bated breath.

"Hello?" A voice crackled through just before a woman appeared. It was difficult to tell color in the projection, but it was clear to those that recognized her face paint that she was a Sarkhai.

Transfixed, Boost stuttered a bit when he said, "Hello. I'm Boost, and these are my brothers Sinker and Wolffe." The latter sent him a glare for not letting his commander speak first, but he didn't even look up to see it.

The woman waved and smiled at him, making his heart skip a beat. "I'm Pyxis Mellor. I don't know how much General Koon has told you, but I'm trying to find somewhere to stay and he offered his ship with the caveat that you all would have to agree."

Wolffe slid his eyes to Plo, then back to her. "Are you on the run, Pyxis?"

Boost sent his glare back, but it was ignored equally well.

She had the audacity to laugh. "I suppose that's fair. Actually, why don't I just tell you the whole story?" Seeing three nods, she went on. "Basically, I was employed by the upper class citizens of the Core Worlds as a professional thief. Spent a few years getting by that way, then I had a job that almost killed me. Made me look at things a different way, and I decided that I needed a change." 

Pyxis paused to gauge their reactions, but they had remained stony throughout. "Tried to leave for the Outer Worlds, but got apprehended by my new friend, back there." She pointed to the bounty hunter they couldn't see. "He agreed to give me safe passage if I helped him bag a bigger bounty. Nothing too difficult, but I wouldn't call it easy."

She laughed again, and Boost found himself hoping to hear it more.

"I understand if you don't trust me enough to let me stay on your ship, but if you say yes, I give you my word that I will do everything I can to make life better there."

Wolffe didn't give much credence to the way she beamed at them, but Boost was already in over his head.

"Well I'm saying yes."

Pyxis' hologram cheered as Wolffe gave him a major stink eye in the same room.

Sinker cocked his head and hummed in thought for a second. "Yeah, why not? I say yes too."

Wolffe rolled his eyes and muttered "Damn it. I always get overruled." Loud enough for Pyxis to hear, he said "Alright then. But I'm keeping an eye on you, Mellor."

She saluted playfully. "Sir, yes sir!"

As soon as the hologram cut off, Boost got another smack to the head.

The Courageous landed on the surface of the nearest friendly planet for Pyxis to board, and the hand off went smoothly. She bounded over to the flagship to say greet them all again. Wolffe stood a little further back than the others, and just as the door of the hunter's ship closed, he caught a glimpse of what might have been a vod. Shaking his head, he tossed that thought aside and tried to focus on the situation at hand. Whether he liked or not, the pack had a new member.

Boost, on the other hand, was elated to have someone new to talk to. Looking nothing like a vod helped too. He followed Pyxis around whenever he didn't have anything else to do, and while his brothers teased and told him to give her some space, she appreciated the company.

She even started finding him when he was working. "Melon?"

He took one of the cut slices with a grin. "Don't mind if I do." Boost turned back to the task at hand: fixing a door that refused to slide shut. "What brings you here of all places?"

Pyxis laid down on the floor next to the tool box. "Just wanted to spend time with you. You're the only one who will really talk to me, you know."

He sighed, face still turned to hide his blush. "Yeah, they're not as chatty as I am, even with Sinker's awful jokes. But they'll open up soon enough."

She passed him the screwdriver he couldn't quite reach. "I look forward to hearing them. It's been a while since I've had a real laugh."

Boost thought back to their first meeting, how her hologram laughed and smiled. If that could make his stomach do flips, he couldn't imagine what a real laugh would do. 

That night, the image of her hand on his played over and over in his mind. Half a second of slender white fingers on calloused brown ones when she handed him the plate of melon slices. Half a second of both of them supporting the plate, then he pulled away to taste sweetness on his tongue that he wished could have been from those fingers instead of fruit. Boost sighed and threw his arm over his eyes, but all it did was replace her fingers with sapphire eyes. Ones that stared so gentle, yet so intense, into his dark brown. He was well and truly kriffed.

If Sinker noticed the dark circles under his eyes the next morning, he didn't say anything. Neither did his general or Pyxis, but Wolffe had the nerve to pull him aside after breakfast.

"Take some time off today to rest. Can't have my men lacking, especially not because of some thief."

"She doesn't do that anymore," He mumbled, but Wolffe had already walked away.

A night without sleep allowed Boost to sink into unconsciousness much faster, and it was almost lunch time when he awoke. He walked into the kitchen to find Pyxis pouring some kind of sauce over a slab of meat.

"Smells good."

She capped the bottle and set it on the counter. "Thanks. General Koon didn't give me any specific duties, but I'm meant to help out, so I thought I'd get back into cooking."

He leaned on the counter. "How long has it been, then?"

"Since I got to cook regularly? Well, it's gotta be a few years by now. My job in the Core Worlds didn't leave much time for myself. I usually had to eat on the go."

"I only know how to make the instant ration things."

She waved him over to the tray she hovered over. "Here, you can help me."

In one afternoon, Boost learned how to properly cut vegetables, roast meat, and make juice with the right fruit-to-water ratio. 

When the others sat down with the two of them for lunch, he was much more lively than that morning. Sitting next to Pyxis didn't help his nerves, but he was sure that she wouldn't have let him mess up the food too badly. 

"This is very good, thank you Pyxis."

She met Sinker's eyes across the table. "Oh, it wasn't just me. Boost made the salad and helped out with the main dish too."

His brothers looked surprised that he would even attempt to cook, but Plo just nodded and extended the drinking tube from his mask. He had been given a liquid meal that Pyxis had prepared long before Boost found her.

He was surprised too, at the fact that the food he had assisted with was actually good. Anything was better than rations, but the meat was flavorful and the salad complemented it well. Proud of himself, he tucked in.

When he finished, he sat back and noticed Pyxis watching him. "What?"

"Nothing, you're just cute when you're excited."

Boost glanced at the others, but they didn't hear her lowered voice. He opened his mouth to say something, but there wasn't anything to say. He didn't exactly believe her, but he figured telling her she was wrong wouldn't get him anywhere.

She patted his hand and turned back to her food. His reddened ears had said enough.

The next time Pyxis joined him while he took care of things around the ship, he took a breath and asked, "You really think I'm cute?"

Her eyes widened, followed by her smile. "Still thinking about that?" She giggled at the way he spluttered. "Yeah, Boost. You're cute, you're handsome, you're dedicated and hardworking, you care about your family. You're a catch!"

Stunned, he couldn't think, much less reply.

Pyxis put her hands on his shoulders, rubbing little circles when she felt how tight the muscles were. "It's okay, Boost. You don't have to say anything."

Snapping out of his reverie, he shook his head so hard he made her laugh again. His favorite sound. "No! I mean, I don't want to just leave it at that." He took one of her hands and held it. "I like the way you make me feel. I don't know anything else for certain, but I can't lose you. I won't."

The few clones she had met before Boost were just as lacking in experience with emotional displays, but Pyxis was glad to hear him share what he felt, even if it wasn't all that eloquent. She put her other hand over top of his fingers around hers. Stepping closer, their hands were the only separation between their chests. "I don't want to lose you either. Any of you."

He blinked hard, but she kept going. "I don't really know where any of us stand right now, but I do know that I want to keep getting closer to you."

Scenes from cheesy holofilms flashed across Boost's mind, but he tried his best to ground himself in reality. "Can I kiss you?"

Pyxis grinned and leaned up on her tip-toes so he could meet her lips halfway. He tasted the way he smelled: earthy in the way that a man who has seen many planets and never stayed to become familiar with the soil or the sky can smell. Familiar in way you can't pin down. She wondered if his brothers would taste the same.


End file.
